FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – OCTOBER 10, 2022
New tobacco and vapor retail association forms to promote responsible retailing and individual rights of adults
TIGARD – The owners of twenty-two Oregon retail tobacco and vaping stores have founded the “21+ Tobacco and Vapor Retail Association of Oregon.” The Association, organized as a 501(c)6 non-profit organization, exists to promote responsible retailing, defend Association members, secure the rights of adults to legally use tobacco and vaping products produced by legitimate manufacturers, and offer resources which will help all tobacco and vapor retailers ply their trade in full accordance with the law.
The Association will advocate for all legitimate tobacco and vapor retailers, but its focus will be those which only allow people twenty-one years of age or more on premises. Association board president Jordan Schwartz said, “There are some who, under the pretense of keeping tobacco and vaping products out of the hands of minors, are really gunning to curtail the right of adults to use such products.”
Recently, Schwartz and other plaintiffs won a court battle against Washington county after it attempted to institute an outright ban on the sale of flavored tobacco and vaping products containing nicotine. Supporters of the ban claimed that is was instituted to keep minors from purchasing banned products though such sales are already banned and that people under twenty-one years of age are not even allowed in so-called “21+” stores. Washington county has since indicated that it will appeal its defeat and the Association will fight their appeal.
“If the goal is to keep minors from purchasing tobacco and vaping products, regulators will have no greater ally or partner than this Association,” Schwartz said. “But those who wish to hold up minors as a pretense to curtail the rights of adults will find us opposing them at every turn. We’re growing, will have statewide reach, and will be active in Salem on an ongoing basis.”
Since its founding the Association has established offices in Tigard, contracted for legal, lobbying, management services, and contracted with a digital media firm to establish and maintain a website and digital assets. The Association has begun signing up additional member retailers.
CONTACT:
Richard P. Burke, Association Executive Director
503-970-1876
